I met a friend for a walk the other day, but not before “un café et croissant” at a favourite french bakery, Beaucoup; seriously delicious! After calculating the damage, (calories, that is), a walk was definitely in order. When it’s a gorgeous day in Vancouver, you jump at the chance to hit the sweet spots in the city. With that in mind, we headed towards Kitsilano Beach, known as Kit’s Beach, one of the most popular and one of my favourites.

Kits Point is the closest traditional neighbourhood to downtown Vancouver; surrounded by parks, beaches and ocean, its location is second to none. With its picturesque streets and eclectic array of homes straight out of Architectural Digest, it’s a neighbourhood done well. Call it what it is, design porn for the eyes. Here you’ll find beautiful Craftsman, Queen Ann, ’60s revivals and modern steel and glass structures defying your typical cookie-cutter style home. Not to be omitted, is a classic Parisienne home from the likes of Haussmann, shipped directly from France. Or, at least it could be.

The owner of this lovely French home is friends with my friend, so when she suggested: “we should pass by my friend’s place and see her garden.” I had a feeling I wouldn’t be disappointed. Upon arriving at the beautiful gates, I could see the garden from a distance; I knew we were somewhere special, a charming garden, reminding me of my travels to the south of France, or even better, Paris.

With the complexity of travel, this lovely home was a sight for sore eyes. I took a moment to take it all in. A home thousands of miles from France had me feeling as if I had just arrived there. But, lucky for us, the friend was home, motioning for us to “come in, come in!”

Stepping inside the foyer, I was immediately excited by the punches of colour, chartreuse, hot pinks and pale pastels. It’s a family home, lived-in, as it should be, with toys from grandchildren strewn around, tiny porcelain bunnies stuffed inside a planter, and flowers everywhere. For me, it captured the true essence of a French home; casual elegance comes to mind. Sometimes, less is more. In this case, more was more, a visual delight for the senses. The friend was an absolute gem, allowing me to snap a few pics and transporting me to my favourite place, Paris. It was hard to leave.

You don’t need to travel far to discover the beauty; it’s in our backyard where we least expect it.

A moment in Paris, a girl can dream, right?